quietude
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of quietude
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin quiētūdō, equivalent to Latin quiētus quiet + -tūdō -tude
Explanation
Your mother has probably more than once asked you for quietude even if she hasn't used the word. Quietude means a state of peace and quiet. It goes hand in hand with solitude. Quietude is a word that is used less and less, as we seem to have less time and space for it. A park used to be a good place to find quietude, but with cell phones, you're likely to begin chatting even when no one else is around. If you really want quietude, you might try a library, or a chapel. Meditation can be used to bring you a moment of quietude wherever you are. Try it now. Ohhhmmm. Ohhhmmm. Ohhhmmm.
Vocabulary lists containing quietude
40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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The Mayor of Casterbridge
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At work, Fran’s quietude exists against the mundane chatter of her co-workers.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2024
This state of subatomic quietude is critical to detect minute dark matter signatures.
From Salon • Jan. 26, 2024
If you seek quietude, this is the hike for you.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2023
He began the project during the quietude of the coronavirus pandemic, sitting alone at an upright Yamaha piano in the music room of his Pasadena, Calif., home.
From Washington Post • Mar. 6, 2023
It was a period of quietude, a kind of spiritual preparation for the trials of manhood that lay ahead.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
